Say What?

Iraqi defense minister dubious on independent security soon

by Thom Shanker

FORT MONROE, Virginia: The Iraqi defense minister said that his nation would not be able to take full responsibility for its internal security until 2012, nor be able on to defend Iraq's borders from external threat until at least 2018.

Here's the story from the International Herald Tribune

It takes an American soldier 16 weeks; 8 weeks of basic training and 8 weeks of combat or specialized training. 16 weeks from taking an oath to deployment for many soldiers during our previous wars. We have been supposedly training soldiers and police officers for 5 years. I realize that this was in extraordinary circumstances, but 5 years and the defense minister wants 4 to 8 more? Now the US is working out a deal that might keep us there, even if the Iraqis get it together.

Shanker goes on to describe Iraq's defense minister Abdul Qadir al-Obaidi reason for his visit here; discussion of an agreement of the military responsibilities between the US and Iraq. The defense minister has a wish list too.

Qadir sketched out a shopping list that included ground vehicles and helicopters, as well as tanks, artillery and armored personnel carriers.

Those, he said, are needed as Iraq moves toward taking full responsibility for its security.

In the years after that, as his nation assumes full control over its defense against foreign threats, Iraq will need additional aircraft, including warplanes and reconnaissance vehicles, he said.

Did the US destroy all the equipment Iraq had and didn't they have a chance to rebuild its military after our first war? They managed to do it after the war with Iran. I'm puzzled. I am beginning to think that the present Iraqi government intends to play at democracy, so that it can suck at the teat of America's Military Industrial Complex.